The introduction of discrete fibers to a base knitting yarn during a knitting operation is an old technique for the production of knitted fabrics having a pile surface or effect. Generally, the pile knitting machines are equipped with a plurality of means around the perimeter thereof that supply discrete fibers to a position where the fibers are removed by knitting needles passing thereby. The fibers are then associated with a base yarn and knitted into the fabric with the ends of the fibers extending outwardly to provide the pile surface. Normally, the fiber feed means include apparatus which receives sliver or the like, cards and/or aligns the fibers and presents the worked fibers to the knitting needles. Development effort has been expended in the past to improve these feeding or card heads. For example, improvements have been made so as to better work the fibers; to increase the feeding capacity of the card heads; to vary the density of pile fibers knitted into the fabric; to mix feeds from adjacent systems; to handle various lengths of fibers, and the like.
Such attempts as set forth above have included various arrangements for presenting the fibers to a rotating working cylinder of the card head; proper handling of the fiber on the working cylinder and primarily, devices and techniques for removal of the fibers from the working cylinder and presenting same to the knitting needles as they pass thereby. The present invention represents yet another improvement for a knitting system for the production of pile fabrics. Present emphasis is directed to the card heads positioned around the knitting machine to improve output capacity, handling of shorter fibers and the like. The present invention affords advantages heretofore unavailable to the knitting industry and is a definite advance in the art.
As listed below, there is a voluminous amount of art in this particular area. The present invention is, however, neither suggested or taught by the patented prior art. Exemplary of this prior art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,114,414 to Tauber; 2,280,535 to Moore; 2,953,912 to Hill; 2,971,357 to Hill; 2,993,351 to Wheelock; 3,010,297 to Hill; 3,019,623 to Howes; 3,045,459 to Hill; 3,095,614 to Moore; 3,122,904 to Brandt; 3,153,335 to Hill; 3,188,834 to Radtke; 3,248,902 to Radtke; 3,295,337 to Beucus et al; 3,299,672 to Schmidt; 3,412,823 to Beucus et al; 3,447,343 to Frishman et al; 3,495,422 to Miller; 3,501,812 to Schmidt; 3,516,265 to Collez; 3,604,062 to Hollingsworth; 3,651,664 to Collez et al; and 3,685,315 to Delberghe.